It Hurts
by Andramion
Summary: Part of the Prosthetic AU - based on prompts by imaginethehaikyuukids on tumblr - Imagine Hinata with a prosthetic leg.


**It Hurts**

* * *

><p>It's been a long time since the accident. Hinata can hardly remember walking without his prosthesis, that's how long ago it was that over half of his lower leg was removed to save the rest. He's used to it now, he doesn't really mind it anymore either.<p>

Of course there's a reason he's keeping his disability a secret from the other club members. It's not on purpose, not really, not anymore. It's just that's it's hard to come out with it now, after they've been playing together for over half a year. At first, he wanted to prove himself to them, to let the others know how good he was before they could bench him for having a prosthetic leg, before they could dismiss him without having a look at what he could do. That is all. But now the time to tell them has slipped by without Hinata even noticing and he doesn't know how or feel the need to bring it up.

But it's days like these when it's the hardest. It has something to do with his brain using the part that had been used for the now missing part of his leg, but Hinata doesn't really understand it, no matter how often he's asked different doctors to explain. What he does know though, is that the sound and smell of heavy rain are things he could really do without.

He is _hurting_.

It's Saturday and practice has been going for several hours already, but that isn't a big deal at all. Hinata's used to that, he can keep up with everyone without a problem. But once their lunch break is over, the clouds suddenly decide to unleash a ridiculous amount of water right over Karasuno High School.

The rain sounds like a military ordnance in the gymnasium and slowly, what is left of Hinata's left leg grows dull before the pain starts shooting through it.

In between his jumps, Hinata runs his fingers over the bindings that keept the prosthesis attached, taps his knee through his jogging trousers. _Please hold up,_ he pleads, _please hold up until the end of practice._

It's no use. Half an hour later, he excuses himself saying he really, _really_ needed a bathroom break and dashes out of the gymnasium, so distracted by his pain that he doesn't even notice the foul look Kageyama throws him for leaving in the middle of practice.

Instead of going for the bathrooms though, he makes his way to the clubroom. Somehow, he makes it up the stairs and into the room before he collapses onto the bench and rolls the leg of his jogging trousers up. The clasps on the bindings pop open in quick, trained movements and Hinata lays the prosthetic down on the floor before he leans his elbow on his good leg and starts to massage the stub under his left knee.

The stump-sock he wears is drenched with sweat already, but Hinata pays it no attention as he works his fingers into his flesh over and over and over again, trying to relieve some of the pain, but not succeeding at all. His hair has fallen into his face and he grits his teeth and bites his lower lip, all the while unable to think anything other than _it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts._

He doesn't notice the door opening, but when whoever it is starts _screaming_, the high-pitched, panicked sounds somehow make their way through the haze around Hinata's mind and he looks like. Now, suddenly, the entry to the locker room starts filling up with people running over to see why Takeda is freaking out, and stopping in shock when they see what is going on.

Honestly, who wouldn't be shocked at suddenly seeing a detached leg lying on the floor?s

Still dazed, Hinata can only halfway make out the faces staring right at him through the tears that have finally started welling up in his eyes. Now that they've all seen it already, there's no need for him to keep the pain in and he hiccups before he lets out a small wail and the dams break.

Suddenly, there's a flurry of motion as the captain barks out orders and picks Hinata up into a princess carry without trouble. "Out of the way!" he shouts and the other team members jump aside to let him through.

Sugawara-senpai is right there next to them, clearly half-panicking himself, but saying soothing words to Hinata in a hushed voice anyway. "It's okay, Hinata, it's okay," and "it'll go away soon, I promise," when Hinata manages to tell them that it hurts, it hurts so much.

The three of them are halfway down the hallway to the infirmary when Kageyama catched up with them, Hinata's leg in his hands and obviously trying to hide how fascinated he is by it. Hinata knows to appreciate his effort.

Once they reach the infirmary, Sawamura puts him down on one of the beds and Hinata just curls up on his side, massaging the stump again, until the bed dips next to him and he feels Kageyama peel one of his hands away.

"Go ahead and squeeze," he offers when Hinata looks up at him through his tears. "I can handle it." Immediately, Hinata closes his fingers around Kageyama's and clamps down while jolts of pain run through his leg.

"Where are Sugawara and Sawamura?" a voice sounds from the door and all at once, the whole team starts filing into the infirmary. Tanaka and Nishinoya drop several things onto the end of the bed and Kageyama looks at the stash in surprise.

"What's that?"

"I don't know!" Tanaka exclaims, rifling through the items. "We just grabbed whatever we thought might help." He starts holding up different things before putting them down again, not knowing what to do.

"Syouyou! What about heat pads? Or would a cooling pad be better?" Nishinoya pulls up a stool next to Hinata's face and fusses over him in a disorganised manner. "Maybe this?" He holds up a small box and cocks his head in thought. "Do pain meds work? We have aspirin."

Soon enough, the two third years return with the nurse right behind them and the volleyball team shuffles aside to let her get closer. The only one that doesn't move is Kageyama, who is still letting Hinata hold onto his hand.

"Hi, Hinata-kun," the nurse speaks and she gives him a pleasant smile. "It's been a while since it was this bad, hasn't it?" He doesn't know how, but he manages to squeak out the word 'rain' before he has to bite his pain and squeeze Kageyama's hand hard again. "Ah, yes, you did say it gets bad during storms before."

She sits up and turns around to get something out of the cabinet next to her, but she keeps talking through it, her voice calm. "Your coach is calling your mother right now, okay? Just hold on a little bit longer." She turns back and asks him to sit up as she holds out a cup of water and a few white tablets.

Shakily, Hinata manages to get himself into a sitting position, leaning back against the head rest and he let's go of Kageyama's hand in order to down the pain medicine. As soon as he's done, he grabs for it again and it's still right there for him to take.

He doesn't follow much of the conversation going on, still too distracted by the sharp pangs. Instead, he uses his free hand to massage while Kageyama's thumb moves up and down his fingers, while Sugawara-senpai pushes his hair back and presses a cool cloth to his forehead as he talks with the nurse.

In the opposite corner of the room, Ennoshita and Nishinoya are trying to calm Asahi down, telling him Hinata will be alright. Kinoshita and Narita are quietly conversing next to them. Coach Ukai and Kiyoko are standing close to the still open door, waiting for Takeda to return from calling Hinata's home.

Meanwhile, Tanaka is giving Yamaguchi and Tsukishima the stink eye, daring them to make a remark about the situation. But even those two know when to keep quiet and if Hinata could pay attention anything other than the pain, he would see the tiny trace of worry hiding behind Tsukishima's stony face.

It's when Takeda comes into the infirmary saying Hinata's mum is on her way that the pain meds start kicking in. Slowly, the tension in his body starts to unwind and Hinata slumps into a weird in-between sitting and lying down.

Kageyama notices the grip on his hand loosening. "I think the medication is working," he mentions to the nurse and she looks at her wristwatch while a collective sigh of relief sounds in the room.

"Hmm, yes, it should be by now." She smiles at Hinata again. "You can take a nap if you want, I'll wake you up when your mother is here."

The redhead nods weakly and his eyes start falling shut when a soft snicker is heard.

All heads turn to the tall blond and Yamaguchi pesters him while he tries to keep his expression composed.

"What? What, Tsuki? Tell me!"

"Shut up, Yamaguchi, I can't _say_ it!"

"Oh come on!"

"Tsukishimaaa…" Tanaka warns and Yamaguchi yelps before he looks at his senpai over his shoulder.

"It's… okay…" Hinata mutters from his spot on the bed and everyone seems taken aback by that. To Hinata, though, the thought of Tsukishima still being a jerk to him is strangely comforting. Maybe because it means things between them won't change. That Tsukishima won't suddenly become polite to him out of pity. Maybe the others will still treat him the same too.

He repeats his words. "It's okay. You can be you about it, Tsukishima."

"Well," Tsukishima starts and all eyes turn to him again, "I was just thinking, it's no wonder you're so short when half your leg is missing."

The whole room is quiet until Tanaka's laughter breaks through the silence. "What kind of an insult is that?! Tsuki! I expected much better from you! What was that?!"

Slowly, everyone starts to laugh or grin and the heavy atmosphere is lifted. The whole team seems to relax and it helps Hinata calm down enough to nod off.

Coach Ukai ashamedly admits that the reason he didn't know is that he didn't read the team's school medical files and the team goes from admiring Hinata for being able to keep up with practice all along to wondering out loud why Hinata didn't tell them, but they're all still there when Hinata's mother arrives to find an infirmary full of sweaty boys looking after her gently sleeping sunshine child.


End file.
